Charles S System

[Charles S]

Charles Updated System: Wilson McIntosh Audioquest

Amps: McIntosh: MC3500MKII (2); MC1.25KW (2); MC2.1KW An
Preamp: C-12000 An
Sources: MCD12000 An; MVP881; MVP851; MR87; Marantz 510LV; Lenovo Yoga laptop
Speakers: Wilson Chronosonic XVX
Sub-Woofer: Wilson Thor’s Hammer; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover
Cables Main System AQ: WEL Signature speaker cables; 24’ balanced IC; balanced 1-meter Dragon IC ; WEL Signature digital, Coffee digital coaxial cables; Diamond optical (2); Diamond USB; Dragon (5 HC, 3 source cords); Thunder & Monsoon power cords
Cables Subwoofer System AQ: Redwood speaker cable; Wolf balanced subwoofer IC; Wind balanced IC to ActivXO; Hurricane HC; Firebird HC; Firebird Source; Dragon HC, power cords
Power Conditioners: AQ Niagara 7000; Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines.
Isolation: Wilson Pedestals; Bassocontinuo McIntosh Ultra Feet; X-material plinth
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD)
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes

I have noticed that folks make some comments about the sonic qualities of their systems. First I don't do vinyl. I respect vinyl but it is too much of a headache for me. I suppose if I had to mention one sonic quality it would be EASE. My system will scale from extremely soft to incredibly loud with my 3500's pumping out 350 plus watts and although you couldn't remotely carry on any conversation, it doesn't even sound loud. It doesn't hurt or sting the ears at all. The XVX has no upper limit with my 3500's. You can't do this with a 1.25KW. I have to watch myself because I'm a "turn it up a little more" audiophile and pretty soon it can get ridiculously loud. In addition, my Thor can pick up the softest of subsonic LF notes. It extends easily to well below 16 Hz and I have heard/felt subsonic notes putting out between .02 and .2 watts summed mono on many occasions. Another quality of an XVX is its inability to be overloaded in the bass, so I can run my Thor LP only at 30 Hz with total impunity. In order to achieve a loud and solid 16Hz your sub needs to get down to about 10 Hz. I used to use a 1.25KW to dirive my Thor. It has a sensitivity of 93 dB. However, the MC2.1KW does an order of magnitude better job. Much better control of the woofers and increased sensitivity at picking up the very soft subsonic notes. I never heard a 20 Hz note I didn't like or that was too loud. It's not that there is anything wrong with my 1.25KW's but they are not in the league of a 3500 or 2.1KW. I have had friends over who were in awe of my system when run by my 1.2KW's.

 

[J007B]

I love the look of all that McIntosh gear

 

[Charles S]

J007B thank you so much. I'm a new member just learning my way around and I could definitely be more adept at navigating websites so let me apologize in advance for not responding to a post, most likely I haven't seen the post. However, I'm not a novice when it comes to high end audio. I think I'm going to enjoy this website very much. It seems very well put together. Yes, I recently acquired an An MC2.1KW. I waited 20 years for an updated MC2KW and as soon as the An piece came available, I bought it. It hasn't disappointed. I love the amp.

 

[Ampexed]

This looks like an attic space - what are the dimensions? Because of the cathedral ceiling, you're likely to have very good acoustics with few bass issues.

I don't think I've ever seen so much McIntosh gear in one place at the same time!

 

[Charles S]

This looks like an attic space - what are the dimensions? Because of the cathedral ceiling, you're likely to have very good acoustics with few bass issues.

I don't think I've ever seen so much McIntosh gear in one place at the same time!

Yes, the acoustics are excellent. Definitely the room is a little on the dead side of neutral but I like it this way. The super tweeters have a range of, I believe, from 0 to minus 13 dB and mine are set on -4 dB which provides me a very pleasing sparkle to the treble. I bought the 3500's on impulse. When I saw them I knew I had to have a pair. I had intended to use them as backups to my 1.25KW's but when I heard them, I was smitten by their sound. My audiophile buddies that hear my system agree. It's a remarkable amplifier. Almost immediately my 1.25KW's became my backups.

The dimensions are 40' by 15'4". Height of the side walls 5' and ceiling 8' in the center. I have a skating rink behind my sofa. I'm an avid roller skater. It's a rec room above my garage built of 2x6's and the floor is supported by 40 Lowe's wooden I-Beams. Wall within a wall construction with a very quiet HVAC.

I grew up listening to a Tandberg 64X reel to reel. My father was a chemical engineer and loved high end audio. I love reel to reel. If I were going the "vinyl" route it would be a super expensive reel to reel tape recorder and buy analog tapes. It's the best sound in the world. I had a Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck for a long time and I also did vinyl for a long time. I always preferred the tape. I just don't have the space or room for a tape recorder. I wish that I did.

 

[A-Line]

WOW!! Very nice & well done Charles!!

 

[rau]

Charles very impressive!!!
I hurt just looking at those amps , took my 611's downstairs today and that was enough

 

[Charles S]

Thanks so much fellas for your interest in my system. My dealer (Hi Fi Buys of Nashville) is the main one in middle TN. Because I was the first to buy an XVX certainly in TN but more than likely the southeast, they called me to see if I would be interested in the An pieces. The rest is history so they do all my installations and I receive immediate service. I never try to lowball and they appreciate that. I don't do any lifting.

The XVX is a remarkable speaker in so many ways. It has a very narrow footprint side to side making it ideal for my room. Look carefully at the Alexx V and you will notice that the woofers of the XVX are noticeably nearer to the sides of its base cabinet. The XVX is significantly tapered from rear to front. Also the super tower is narrow compared to the Alexx V. Its a speaker that comes along once in a lifetime and I got one. I think I got numbers 39 and 40.

Thanks to me they have a pair of XVX/MC2.1KW An's on display for demo in their high end showroom which would not be there had I not stepped up and purchased this gear. Not many dealers can boast of this because only 75 of these An 2.1KW''s are available across the U.S..

 

[Charles S]

I also want to say to Steve Williams and whoever else helps him with the What's Best Forum (WBF) that I have never seen a better website than his. Everything about it is absolutely first class, making its name quite appropriate.

 

[Steve williams]

I also want to say to Steve Williams and whoever else helps him with the What's Best Forum (WBF) that I have never seen a better website than his. Everything about it is absolutely first class, making its name quite appropriate.

Thanks Charles and a very warm welcome to WBF

 

[Lee]

Charles Updated System: Wilson McIntosh Audioquest

Amps: McIntosh: MC3500MKII (2); MC1.25KW (2); MC2.1KW An
Preamp: C-12000 An
Sources: MCD12000 An; MVP881; MVP851; MR87; Marantz 510LV; Lenovo Yoga laptop
Speakers: Wilson Chronosonic XVX
Sub-Woofer: Wilson Thor’s Hammer; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover
Cables Main System AQ: WEL Signature speaker cables; 24’ balanced IC; balanced 1-meter Dragon IC ; WEL Signature digital, Coffee digital coaxial cables; Diamond optical (2); Diamond USB; Dragon (5 HC, 3 source cords); Thunder & Monsoon power cords
Cables Subwoofer System AQ: Redwood speaker cable; Wolf balanced subwoofer IC; Wind balanced IC to ActivXO; Hurricane HC; Firebird HC; Firebird Source; Dragon HC, power cords
Power Conditioners: AQ Niagara 7000; Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines.
Isolation: Wilson Pedestals; Bassocontinuo McIntosh Ultra Feet; X-material plinth
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD)
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes

I have noticed that folks make some comments about the sonic qualities of their systems. First I don't do vinyl. I respect vinyl but it is too much of a headache for me. I suppose if I had to mention one sonic quality it would be EASE. My system will scale from extremely soft to incredibly loud with my 3500's pumping out 350 plus watts and although you couldn't remotely carry on any conversation, it doesn't even sound loud. It doesn't hurt or sting the ears at all. The XVX has no upper limit with my 3500's. You can't do this with a 1.25KW. I have to watch myself because I'm a "turn it up a little more" audiophile and pretty soon it can get ridiculously loud. In addition, my Thor can pick up the softest of subsonic LF notes. It extends easily to well below 16 Hz and I have heard/felt subsonic notes putting out between .02 and .2 watts summed mono on many occasions. Another quality of an XVX is its inability to be overloaded in the bass, so I can run my Thor LP only at 30 Hz with total impunity. In order to achieve a loud and solid 16Hz your sub needs to get down to about 10 Hz. I used to use a 1.25KW to dirive my Thor. It has a sensitivity of 93 dB. However, the MC2.1KW does an order of magnitude better job. Much better control of the woofers and increased sensitivity at picking up the very soft subsonic notes. I never heard a 20 Hz note I didn't like or that was too loud. It's not that there is anything wrong with my 1.25KW's but they are not in the league of a 3500 or 2.1KW. I have had friends over who were in awe of my system when run by my 1.2KW's.

Very impressive system Charles! Congratulations.

 

[Charles S]

Thanks a lot Lee. Your system is equally impressive. You don't give up much with your Alexia V/ Loke dual subs and your front end is superior to mine. I must say that I am afraid that I have done my 1.25KW's a disservice. I usually plan my acquisitions carefully, but I bought my 3500's impulsively. I grew up with McIntosh tubes and always wanted a modern tube McIntosh amp that was based on their old tube technology but modernized. When I understood that Ron Evans (who is a Mac legend) left retirement to spend two years designing the MC3500 MkII, I knew that I must have a pair. But my plan was to mainly use my 1.25's and only use them to impress my friends coming over for a listen. However, they sounded so much better than my 1.25's I couldn't get them out of my system. This has all changed with the arrival of my An front end composed of a MCD12000 An and C-12000 An. When I employ the tube outputs of my MCD12000 and C-12000 to drive my 1.25's the result is quite similar to when I employ the SS output of my MCD12000 and tube output of my C-12000 to drive my MC3500 MKII's. I still prefer the 3500 MKII's but the improvement is so much less that I am currently listening to my system as I had originally planned, using my 1.25's as my primary amps. McIntosh tubes color the sound of their SS amplifiers without veiling the sound or affecting resolution/transparency. I find this coloration very pleasing to my ears. It is quite subtle but nevertheless easy to hear. I use nothing but Audioquest silver in the form of Dragon power cords and WEL Signature or Dragon balanced IC's and speaker cables to connect my system to my XVX. This provides me with every iota of resolution and transparency my McIntosh gear is capable of. I have been pleasantly surprised and pleased with my MCD12000 An an C-12000 An. I am under no illusion that there aren't better gear on the market, as I have noted in Lee's system above, but I am a McIntosh aficionado from way way back, and I have a budget also.